Cardinals have tough task ahead of them at Fenway Park

By Tim Britton

Tuesday

Oct 29, 2013 at 5:21 PM

BOSTON -- The Red Sox can thank 10 American League pitchers -- division rivals among them -- for being home at Fenway Park this week. The AL's shutout win in the All-Star Game back in July is why Games Six and Seven are in Boston, and why Fenway has

BOSTON -- The Red Sox can thank 10 American League pitchers -- division rivals among them -- for being home at Fenway Park this week. The AL's shutout win in the All-Star Game back in July is why Games Six and Seven are in Boston, and why Fenway has its first chance in 38 years to host a decisive World Series game.

The Cardinals, if they ever arrive in Boston after mechanical problems grounded their plane into late Tuesday afternoon, will face a tough though not unprecedented task. Six times in the history of the World Series, a team has won Games Six and Seven on the road to claim the championship.

It has not happened since 1979, when the Pirates knocked off the Orioles on back-to-back nights at Memorial Stadium. That Pittsburgh team is the last to win even Game Seven of the World Series away from home.

The Cardinals have twice come from behind on the road to win the World Series -- back in 1926 in New York and 1934 in Detroit.

The 1952 Yankees, 1958 Yankees and 1968 Cardinals are the only other teams to rally on the road.

"Just getting on the field in front of our fans [Wednesday] night -- that's going to be something that I know we're going to thrive on," said manager John Farrell. "I don't know how that correlates to the end result. But still this is a place our guys love to play."

"Something pretty consistent about this club is regardless of how tough things have gone...they have a very short memory," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "It's been something that I think has served us very well. Guys are in here today, looking like they're getting ready for another trip, getting ready for another game."

Twitter: @TimBritton

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